Why Choosing Your Way of Working Is Simpler Than Taking a Preset Solution

 

Agile folks like to talk about being simple. But “simple” can be “simple” as in design, or “simple” as in easier to use. When it comes to using a framework or process, not being fit for purpose will be less simple than something that does.

There is a certain attraction to being given a predetermined set of practices, such as Scrum or SAFe and using it as is. But there are no universal practices. This means there’s a good chance that any predetermined set of them you are given will not fit your needs. 

We want something “simpler” to use, not something that just “simpler in design” but not fit for purpose.

Disciplined Agile  is a process for using a toolkit to create a well-defined set of practices that are tailored for your situation. This includes where you are and how fast your organization can change. DA provides a set of goals, each with decisions to make and options to choose. This lowers the tailoring effort to create a starting set of practices that are fit for purpose and therefore “simpler.” Just as importantly, what’s learned during this “choose your way of working” teaches you how to continuously improve and avoid the stagnation beset by adopting so many other approaches.